The 113th Hunger Games
by phoenixnightly
Summary: The 113th Hunger Games is underway, and the Capitol assures to entertain. Watch as 24 tributes across Panem engage in the fight of their lives, against eachother. Let the Games begin.
1. Chapter 1: The Reaping

Chapter One

The sun shone down on the whole of District 5. A light, gentle breeze swept through the crowds as they were ushered into the town square. Strangely, the pleasant weather seemed to contradict the grim occasion that was playing out. It was reaping day. Just in time for the 113th Annual Hunger Games, and the Capitol assured it would be one to remember.

Amongst the masses, glances of doubt and fear were shared. Younger children were weakly reassured by their older siblings, although they all knew there was always the slightest chance they would be selected as a tribute and forced to brave the arena. Moral was weak at best due to the reminder that both last year and the previous year's tributes from 5 had been slaughtered only moments into the bloodbath at the cornucopia. After a few too many moments of silence, a sharp voice rung out from the stage.

Dotty Delamarre, the Capitol spokesperson stood at the microphone. Her hair was eccentrically curled in dramatic ringlets, as well as being bright pink, which looked to be her theme of sorts for this year's games. White powder was caked on her face along with touches of bright pink makeup to contrast the paler elements of her ensemble.

"Greetings, District 5, and welcome to another Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor."

The audience remained fairly quiet, only a few hushed whispers could be heard. Dotty began making her way to the glass bowl which held the names of every eligible adolescent in the district ages 12-18. She discreetly reached her gloved hand deep into the bowl and plucked out a slip of paper.

"This year's female tribute for District 5, is Katrina Acosta!"

She smiled for the cameras as a young golden-haired girl made her way on stage from the 14 section. A forbidding look of determination was plastered on her face, and she carried herself with confidence to stand next to Dotty. The girl was tall, about 5'7 maybe, and had a lean build. She was also rather attractive, somewhat resembling many of the blond tributes that primarily came from District 1. The people in the crowd murmured amongst themselves, because it was rare to see someone of Katrina's age appearing so confident after being selected.

"Any volunteers to take this young lady's spot?" Unsurprisingly no one came forward, however many people were interested in the prospect of this new tribute. She had a strange intriguing quality about her.

4 Hours Earlier 

The clock read 9:00am, and Katrina Acosta rolled out of bed and began to prepare for the days activities. _Today is Reaping day, _She thought to herself. Oddly, she wasn't afraid like many of her peers were. Although she didn't think she would like to volunteer, at least not while she was 14, the Games had always interested her in a way that was mostly unheard-of in her District. Katrina had always been hungry for fame and wealth and becoming a Victor would bring just that, but if she ever spoke of this secret desire to her friends or family she usually got some sort of scandalized reaction. Oh, Katrina that's a horrible way to think they would say, disgusted that she would even think to voluntarily enter an event that caused so much grief in the community. She rolled her eyes and flopped back onto her bed, her head spinning. Her family was well off and didn't need to put her name in more than one time in exchange for food or other resources. _I probably won't be chosen anyway_, she told herself and went on with her morning.

Present 

After Katrina was chosen, Dotty then proceeded to choose a slip from the bowl of male names. "Joining Katrina in the Games will be… Kaden Hayes!" A boy from the 14 section rose up and trudged up to the stage, the audience making way for him to be seen by the cameras. He appeared muscular with a head of ash brown curly hair. It was obvious he had a careless demeanor about him, and when he eventually made it on stage to stand next to Katrina he leaned closer to her and uttered something which she promptly rolled her eyes at.

"Any volunteers?" She turned her head profusely looking into the crowd. There were no volunteers.

2 Hours Earlier 

Kaden Hayes stood outside the town square with his little brother, watching officials begin setting up. "Do you think I'll be chosen?" His 12 year old brother, Atticus asked warily. Kaden knew he couldn't guarantee anything, but there was almost no chance of his brother being reaped. To the dismay of his parents, Kaden had entered his name 22 times into the reaping and refused to let Atticus enter more than the one required time. Times were tough at the moment and money was tight. It was the least he could do to make sure his brother and baby sister always had food to eat. Kaden hoped it was worth it. "Nah you won't be chosen. Your name is only in there once and there are thousands of others." Atticus's worried expression softened.

"That's good" he began, "but what about you? They won't pick you either, right?" Kaden looked at his little brother and said, "Nah they won't pick me either." His words were empty, but he wanted to put his brothers mind at ease for now. From time to time, Kaden thought about what would happen if he were reaped. He knew he was smart, and could hold his own in the Games, although even if he made it he would never be the same as he was before. The Victors never were. But he knew if he were picked, he would do anything to win.

Present 

Dotty briefly examined the two and concluded the Reaping by stating "District 5, your tributes for this year Katrina Acosta and Kaden Hayes!" The applause was more evident than it had been in years. From the sidelines the only remaining Victor from 5, Diana Odling, who was now nearly 50 years old watched on with fascination. It had been awhile since District 5 had strong, capable looking tributes. Peacekeepers flanked the tributes and led them through a hallway to wait for their respective families and board the train to the Capitol.


	2. Chapter 2: The Train

As Kaden was brought into a room to wait for his parents and siblings, he scoffed and kicked the lone chair in the room over. _Of course, it had to be me, _he thought sarcastically. Kaden knew he had to focus on working an angle as soon as he entered the Capitol, and he needed to play to his strengths, which mostly consisted of his trouble-maker abilities. At school, he tended to be cussed out by his teachers, often to the amusement of the class. Kaden thought about the other girl Katrina.

He vaguely remembered her from school, they had been in the same class a few times but never talked. From what Kaden recalled, Katrina had always been top of her class with stellar grades and overall academic prowess. She had many friends, but they seemed to be more attached to her than she was to them. She could prove to be hard to beat…

The door was briskly pushed open and the concerned faces of Atticus and Kaden's parents appeared. Tears were streaming down Atticus's face. "But," he trembled and began to sob. Kaden had to look away. His parents came forward to say potential goodbyes, and Atticus grabbed hold of his leg as the Peacekeepers came to escort Kaden to the train. Before he could leave his Mother whispered in his ear, "We love you." He couldn't respond. He was pushed out of the room too soon. Kaden lingered for a final look at his family. They were falling apart.

When Katrina entered the plain room awaiting her parents, she made herself comfortable in the small chair stretching her legs out in front of her and eventually crossing them. She knew what her strategy would be in the upcoming death match. _Play like it's a mere game, and you've already won. _She smiled in anticipation. With her appearance and a good angle/training score, Katrina aimed to impress. For a moment, she realized her hands were shaking violently, but she steadied them just in time for her parents to enter. Katrina refused to let the fear kick in just yet.

"Hello Mother," she nodded. "Father." As Katrina's parents embraced her and wished her well in the Games that could very well lead to her death, she felt more distant from them than ever before. Not like that was anything new. Her parents, her peers and friends, they never understood her fiery ambition. Katrina vied for glory, and she wanted to win not only for her district but for herself. To prove she could.

Ensuing the few precious moments her family had together, Peacekeepers escorted Katrina toward the train. There she saw the male tribute Kaden Hayes waiting on the platform. His head hung low and his body language suggested he was scared, or ashamed of something. Katrina attempted to commemorate what she knew about him from prior occurrences such as school. Kaden Hayes was the class clown, the jokester. His shenanigans sent teachers into fits of rage that earned him many hours of detention. Many of Katrina's friends found his jokes hilarious, but she herself never paid enough attention to have a valid opinion. She hoped she didn't have to kill him in the arena.

The Train

Kaden was too distracted by the strong sense of guilt he felt leaving his family that he didn't notice the train arrive, along with Katrina who was now standing beside him. When he lifted his head to look up at her, she quickly jerked her head and peered in the other direction. _So much for an alliance there._

When they boarded the train, both Kaden and Katrina marveled at the lavish decor. Neither of them were used to this kind of luxury. The main car was furnished with plush arm chairs, petal pink curtains, and a large dining table that displayed shiny silverware and fine china. Both tributes made themselves at home and watched as Dotty and Diana entered the car. Diana Odling was the Victor of the 80th Hunger Games. Her dark eyes held no promise of warmth, only frigid reality as she examined Kaden and Katrina. Coincidentally, her Games featured an arena made of ice and snow with barely any concealment. Diana allied herself with her district partner, and a tribute from 7. The alliance broke off after final eight, and the remaining careers hunted down every tribute until the pack self-destructed. What followed was a bloody battle in the middle of the tundra, leaving only the female from 2 alive. She was injured, and therefore an easy enough kill for Diana who specialized in long range weaponry.Dissimilar from other Victors, Diana never developed a drinking problem after her Games although those close to her commented on her change in personality.

"Looks like we may have a fighting chance this year." Diana remarked. The sound her voice made was husky and low. Dotty, who was absentmindedly straightening the curtains agreed graciously.

"Why yes, it has been a spell since we had tributes as attractive as the two of you are." She mused, and twirled around the face Kaden and Katrina a wide smile visible on her lips. "If you play your cards right, the Capitol will love you." Dotty then began lightly pacing the room, giving instructions on how to charm the audience.

"First off, both of you will need to conform to a certain… persona we'll say. During my training with each of you we'll go into more detail regarding that." She cocked her head to the side, her eyes diverting between the tributes."That raises another question, would you like to be trained separately or together?"

The question went unanswered for several minutes of awkward silence. "Well," Dotty took a sharp breath in "In that case we'll train you separately. I'm guessing you aren't exactly planning to ally in the arena either." Katrina and Kaden paused and side glanced at each other before shaking their heads.

"Sometimes that does present itself to be the better option." Diana reasoned. "You won't have to worry about turning on each other if you aren't allied." All of a sudden an electronic voice came from Dotty's earpiece, her main connection to the Capitol. She quickly exited the room, speaking into it as she went.

Diana grumbled something in blurred speech before addressing Kaden and Katrina directly.

"Let's cut to the chase. I'm assuming neither of you have engaged in any sort of training, but you can worry about that when we arrive at the Capitol. However, in this game first impressions are everything." She paused, waiting for acknowledgement that they understood.

"As Dotty mentioned earlier, you'll both need to be playing an angle. Whatever it is, stick to it and make sure to play for the cameras. The Capitol loves a good show. If you're interested in allying with any of the other tributes beside each other, come to me. Once the actual Games begin, steer clear of the Career Pack. That is where you'll find the most lethal tributes in the Games."

Both tributes seemed to pick up on the fact that this speech is probably one Diana has delivered to every tribute she's ever mentored. She carried on.

"If you choose to enter the Bloodbath, be fast. Try not to get caught up in the chaos, and if you do remember you're fighting for your life…"

Kadens patience was wearing thin, and he started to pay less and less attention to what Diana was going on about. _It isn't as if we've never seen the Hunger Games before._ Kaden had never been faint-hearted, but he wasn't particularly thrilled with the idea of the bloodbath. His plans included grabbing smaller items and heading out, as far away from the onslaught as possible.

On the other hand, Katrina was fully invested in Diana's lackluster speech and planned to rack in as many kills as possible in the Bloodbath. She had always been fast, and with the right weapon she could have a shot at dominating the playing field. The only tributes standing in her way were the Careers, but she had already thought out a potential solution to that problem.

"And that is most of what you'll need to know for the Bloodbath scenario. If you make it through, you are one step closer to survival." Diana finished off just as Dotty appeared in the doorway.

"I presume you've been," she gestured to Kaden and Katrina, who hadn't moved from their armchairs. "Mentoring the tributes?" Dotty came forward and gently sat down on the third arm chair, daintily crossing her legs. "How about we discuss both of your strengths and you can tell us a bit about yourselves."

Kaden raised his eyebrows.

"Katrina my dear, I must say you do look a lot like many of the Careers from 1. Go along with that, see where it goes. I'm sure you'll look spectacular after the stylists are done. Tell us, what strategies are you thinking to use?" Katrina smirked and replied,

"I've heard to always go for the throat." At that, Kaden put a hand to his temple and muttered, "Great, so she's a psychopath." Katrina ignored him, looking to Diana who nodded in approval.

"Hmm that does seem like a valid approach." Dotty faltered and regained her composure."Kaden, darling, what about you?"He straightened in his chair.

"In light of recent revelations, I'm definitely going to be avoiding her in the arena." He gestured to Katrina and again, Dotty looked far from amused although Diana did smile slightly.

"Hmph, alrighty then I'll be back in a bit when you've further developed your strategies." She hastily departed along with Diana who grumbled about getting something to eat.

Kaden slumped in his chair, and Katrina steadily got up to retrieve kitchen knives which she proceeded to throw at an art piece on the wall of the train. Her aim was exceptionally accurate.

"Why don't you just join the Careers already." Kaden mock suggested, drumming his fingers on the edge of the chair. Katrina's knife wedged itself in the center of the art piece, just as she intended it to. She spun around to give a winning smile, but as she did an idea occurred to her. An idea that if successful, could initiate the threshold for victory.

"You know, I have a plan…"

The night came and went. Katrina spent it mulling over her current situation. The last thing she wanted to do was appear weak. The Games were no place for weakness, unless you wanted to end up in the ground. She would never admit fear to anyone, but right now Katrina was terrified. Terrified of being slaughtered seconds into the bloodbath, of her dead body being lifted into the hovercraft, and her existence fading into a dull memory. Even with superior skills and a well-thought our plan, nothing could guarantee Katrina's safety or survival. Pure adrenaline coursed through her veins. She wanted to escape, but her nightmares barely offered refuge from cruel reality. She turned over on her side, her eyes wide open staring into nothing.

Kaden awoke in a cold sweat. From his bed, he peered out the window to a shifting landscape illuminated by the pale moonlight. It was something calming to slow his mind back into the lull of sleep. It wasn't fear, or restlessness keeping Kaden awake. It was regret. Thinking back to life in 5, everything seemed so simple. He wished it would have lasted longer. The Hunger Games had always been in the back of Kaden's head, but he'd never imagined what it would be like to enter them. His life was most likely going to end soon, but by what means? Kaden blinked furiously. He couldn't do this to himself. There was no way in hell he would crack under the pressure. Dark thoughts imploded in his head like grenades, each time startling Kaden further awake. It was scary the effect your own mind had on you.

"We're about to arrive." Dotty noted cheerily as she yanked the tributes curtains open to reveal broad daylight and the notorious skyline of the Capitol. Magnificent skyscrapers of silver and gold lined the city and from the train window large crowds of Capitol civilians dressed in bright colors and complex ensembles were awaiting the arrival of the tribute trains.

"Welcome to the Capitol."


End file.
